Subscribe to this blog

Subscribe to email updates

Walk: Autumnal Loch Ard

The vast forests of the Trossachs explode into a spectacular array of fiery colours around late October, making this part of the National Park one of the best parts of Scotland to visit during autumn. Tracks around the south side of Loch Ard offer occasional glimpses across the sheltered waters of the loch, eventually revealing an ultimate, quintessential Trossachs vista on the higher return route. Long stretches of track could be a bit dull, especially at other times of the year (hence the lower star rating); nevertheless it's a good spot to immerse yourself in peaceful surroundings.

[The outward route passes close to the shore at several points - here's the view to Eilean Gorm]

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Almost exactly at the halfway point between Edinburgh and Glasgow, the Scottish Owl Centre at Polkemmet Country Park opened in 2012. Today it has the largest collection of owls anywhere in the world, with over a hundred owls looked after and on display here. Most are in pairs, with breeding successes leading to re-homing in the wild where possible. Flying displays take place at least once a day, depending on the season. Paths can be muddy so don't come wearing your best shoes; otherwise, as long as you like owls, you'll have a hoot!

Leave the map in the car and release your children (or your inner child) - Skye's Fairy Glen is tailor-made for haphazard, worry-free exploring. Bizarre, unnatural and intriguing all accurately describe this delightful, miniature landscape perched above Uig, created by landslides and smoothed by subsequent erosion - or fairies, you choose. Castle Ewen's rocky tower, climbable from the back, draws the attention but there are countless other odd hillocks and grassy features to include on your personal tour. Nowadays the site gets very busy in peak season, so visit early in the day (or make use of Scotland's long summer evenings) if you're coming at this time of year.

Name: Fairy Glen, Uig ★★★★☆Location: Minor road to Balnaknock, east of Uig, G.R.: NG 415631 ///drew.pushing.scramblesAnything else?Pick a path from any one of the first laybys and just wander into the grassy landscape. Allow at least an hour to explore the place fully - paths are occasionally muddy with an e…

The old coast road between Arisaig and Morar passes a string of beaches which must be amongst the most beautiful in Scotland. These are the Silver Sands, and as the sun sets at the end of a fine day there's nowhere closer to heaven. Out of those close to the road, Camusdarach is one of the very best: unlike many of the others it's not marred by caravan sites, instead backed by a magnificent row of sand dunes. It's probably also the most popular, not least because it appeared in the film Local Hero, but there are usually more than enough of the golden (or should that be silver?) grains to go around.

Name: Camusdarach Beach (Silver Sands) ★★★★☆Location: B8008 2 miles south-west of Morar, G.R.: NM 661918 ///blissful.jelly.describesAnything else? From the car park at G.R. NM 665917 ///audit.rhino.image, a choice of paths lead through the dunes or along a burn to the beach, a few hundred metres away. The beach looks best at low tide, though there's always some sand above th…